Successful Events in 2004
We had the chance to use the 360th anniversary of the Battle of Cheriton, 1644 to create memorable events within the county during 2004 for both local school children and visitors to the area, with opportunities for further exciting major activities in 2005 and beyond.
The battlefield of Cheriton is an area of national importance: a true gift buried in the heart of rural Hampshire, being relatively unchanged since the days of the Civil War. We wish to ensure that the battlefield takes its true place in our national heritage.
The 2004 campaign was very successful. We were overwhelmed by the reactions of visitors and participants to all of the events undertaken, whether local villagers offering refreshments to our troops on the sponsored march, or the support of local shopkeepers for our living history camps, the reaction was hugely positive. We benefited from real support from the media with local newspapers, BBC TV South and Meridian TV committing coverage to report on the events.
The events in 2004 summarise as follows:
The Sponsored March
In late March, around 30 members of the Sealed Knot retraced the steps of the defeated royalist army from the battlefield at Cheriton to Basing House, Basingstoke. In full battle kit the re-enactors covered the 19 miles in great spirit thus raising over £2,800 in the process.
The Living History Camp and School Visits 15th – 18th June
Nearly 600 pupils from both primary and secondary schools visited the Living History Camp during the week, spending half a day on the battlefield. The visits had three main elements:
1.The authentic camp with discussions and demonstrations of life in the seventeenth century – from weaving to cooking, musket ball casting to children’s games;
2.A military display by soldiers demonstrating the weapons, roles and tactics of the armies of the Civil War;
3.A walk across the battlefield outlining a number of key topographical features and putting the battle into context. A scale model of the battlefield was also on display.
The children were encouraged to have a hands on experience and to participate in a mock battle with soldiers from the Camp in command!
Additional information is available to schools via the Winchester City Council website in the form of fact and activity sheets which may be downloaded freely.
The Battle Re-enactment 19th & 20th June
Over the two days around 3,000 people visited the battlefield to enjoy the activities which included the living history camp, medieval archery, participation archery, drill displays, foxhounds, hawking, craft stalls and the spectacular re-enactments themselves.
The highlight of the weekend was a scripted re-enactment of the Battle of Cheriton by around 400 members of the Sealed Knot. Examples of reactions to the activities and press cuttings are attached in Appendix 3.shown below:
Feedback from Schools and attendees of the Show
Over the week 14-18th June 2004, nearly 600 local school-children were able to visit the battlefield and experience life in the seventeenth century. The sessions lasted around 2.5 hours and gave students unlimited access to re-enactors and their camp. The topics covered general life issues, military aspects of the time and specifically the battle of Cheriton itself.
The sessions were a complete success. General feedback from the students was overwhelmingly positive and the teachers were very complimentary.
We are pleased to enclose a selection of the formal feedback we received below:
Thank you very much for organising the superb event in Cheriton. It was absolutely fantastic and the Year 8’s I brought really enjoyed and appreciated the event. What a pity I couldn’t have come on a second afternoon to bring another 100 students. The ones who missed it felt very cheated. I know this event wouldn’t have been possible without your organisational and co-ordination skills. Yes, it would be wonderful if we could have a similar event each year and I can give you my commitment that Perins School would support this event annually. Please let me know if there are similar events planned for 2005. Would you please pass me the name and telephone number of one of the group of people who comes into School to speak about the Civil War. I would be asking him to come in at the end of the year or possibly January 2005.”
“What a super visit! It really brought the Civil War alive for the pupils. The timing was also just right as we were teaching the Civil War at the time. It would be fantastic if we could do the same next year – but we’d really like to bring all Year 8 students (about 160), as two separate visits. Please could you let us know a.s.a.p. if the Battle Re-enactment will go ahead next year as it needs to go on the school calendar. Please pass on our thanks to all involved – it was an excellent and memorable learning experience!”
General Feedback
“Hi Ols, Firstly I would like to thank you for allowing us to exhibit at the event, I was very pleased to be at the debut of something which, I feel, will only become more popular due to the obvious commitment from yourself and the others involved with the organisation. Secondly I feel that you should know that from our point of view, the event was incredibly well organised and the facilities were perfect, as was the location of our pitch in the craft marquee. I want to take this opportunity to thank you personally Ols and to say what a pleasure it was to meet you and attend such an enjoyable event which has real purpose.
WELL DONE TO YOU ALL
I look forward very much to us meeting again at the next event. Please let us know when it will be for definite, as we would love to be a part of it again” Toy Giant (Craft marquee exhibitor).